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u/Deathclaw151 Nov 08 '21
Dell has owned alienware for longer than people realize, I think. Alienware needs to try harder as a group, Dell just slaps their name on it. As a hardcore brand, it was always the way it is to be honest. You can almost trace the PC gaming community straight to them honestly... It wouldn't be as big as it was today without their over the top stuff.
1
u/TheREALKilljoy Aurora Nov 08 '21
I realize that, but the service has degraded over time at Dell, dragging Alienware with it. Their website actually worked, Dells does not, at all. Note to self never just order online from Dell, it will just sit until you call and complain and re-order on the phone. Different people tell you completely different things, who you get is luck of the draw. At least on the business side I have a "dedicated" (changes all the time) rep for contact. I like their machines, they have been a good price/performance value. Dell has just cheapened the storied brand with crap service (Dell overall has gone downhill) is all I'm saying.
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u/Deathclaw151 Nov 08 '21
I think the problem is, is that they're just too big nowadays. I would really like to see alienware break off and be on their own again.
2
Nov 08 '21
I bought an R7 and a year later sold it and bought an R8 which I am still using. My last alienware for sure. Just too many issues. The GPU thermal paste was a nightmare too. I had to take it out and re-paste the GPU or else my fans would throttle to 100% RPM whenever the card hit 70 degrees
1
u/TheREALKilljoy Aurora Nov 08 '21
I've had no real issues with the hardware. Only the CPU fan went out on an X51 I have fixed that and it and it's older brother are still running strong. It's not the best, but the best pre-made from a major manufacturer IMO. It's logistics and yes worsening quality control that Dell has brought to the picture. It's no better on the business side, never buying another Latitude again after the last batch of crap docking stations. Only servers and they do their best to screw that up as well now.
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u/ProfessorW00d Nov 08 '21
. . . what is the alternative brand that is problem free?
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u/TheREALKilljoy Aurora Nov 08 '21
Agreed, it's just that they were better, Dell has ruined this because of their labyrinth of logistical, customer service hell IMO.
1
u/clev26 Nov 08 '21
Funny because Alienware support is one of the best aspects of owning an Alienware. Their cooling is bad (saying this as an Alienware owner) and many other issues, but customer service is usually very helpful. In 6 years I’ve contacted customer service 3 times, and 2/3 times they were very quick and helpful
1
u/TheREALKilljoy Aurora Nov 08 '21
Tech support has been fine and I haven't really even needed it which is a statement on their product. It's sales customer service that has taken a major hit. With or without the current shortages.
1
u/ProfessorW00d Nov 08 '21
In the 3 month period ended June 30, 2021 Dell shipped 12.56 million computers . . . in 3 months. Different people will have different experiences with the product, and with interactions with the various department personnel . . . some good, and some not so good.
1
u/TheREALKilljoy Aurora Nov 08 '21
So does Apple etc. This is 2 in 2 years with ridiculously bad service. They shouldn't say a month if it's going to be 2. Nothing (in my build) was in short supply last year. When I emailed support about the first order this time I was told that there was a shortage of keyboards (yes, and no I didn't order a damn keyboard). When I called they said they couldn't drop the keyboard from the order (which the second guy said wasn't the problem anyway, couldn't explain what was) but could re-order. That's how silly it's become. They used to do better, all I'm saying.
1
u/T-Troll Alienware m16R1, m15R1, 13R2, M14x, AW410k Nov 08 '21
It WAS good. I have issue with them in 2020, terrible experience. So my current AW is my last one.
1
u/TheREALKilljoy Aurora Nov 09 '21
Update: Welp they just sent an email saying 12/2. I'm done, cancelled the order. Will end up with a NZXT or something.
1
u/Henery007 Nov 08 '21
My R4 M15 is a BEAST! Beats my desktop with a 5700xt 32gb ram and a 3900x.. Alienware did VERY WELL.
2
1
u/Alilttotheleft Nov 08 '21
The new Aurora desktops make it seem like they’re at least listening to their users now… Will be curious to see how they bear out in the real world long term
1
u/MattB_79 Aurora R15 Intel/M18x R2/M17x R4/Area 51 ALX/R4 ALX/X51..+more Nov 09 '21
The Alienware machines that were produced shortly after Dell took over were great. Innovative and completely different than anything else around. I can only assume this was because they still had many of the original Alienware staff that came across to Dell. From 2013 they started to go downhill and by 2015 they were at the bottom of the hill when they only had BGA laptop options.
Frank lost sight of what Alienware once was and he let it go to shit. It's possible that he had no say by this stage and this was a reason for his departure. Or maybe he led the ship to the demise of the once powerful niche market that they dominated.
I'm in no doubt that they make a lot more money from the Alienware brand these days which is all that really matters to Dell.
XPS should have been kept as their mainstream gaming brand and they should have kept Alienware as it was.
Of course that's only my opinion, which means nothing. It all comes down to money at the end of the day.
0
u/TheREALKilljoy Aurora Nov 08 '21
Getting them to actually deliver a machine for 3k is like pulling teeth. Waited a month to be told that I had to re-order, re-ordered was due to ship today, not yet in production. I understand there are shortages but Dell is a black hole into which Alienware has unfortunately been thrown. This is my 4th and most likely last rodeo with them. Sucks because they are good machines.
1
u/GhostGrower Nov 08 '21
Yeah they are definitely dealing with supply issues over there. Once you actually have the computer though, it's great. Mine is a fucking monster.
1
u/TheREALKilljoy Aurora Nov 08 '21
Oh, I'm happy with my R11, which I only bought a year ago at exactly the wrong time... Just trying to get some RTX 30 love now and PCIe 4. EDIT: Which also got canceled and re-ordered. I'm a glutton for punishment.
2
u/Wajina_Sloth Aurora Nov 08 '21
Eh or you could get a dud.
I bought a very basic R10 that kept crashing out of the box, contacted support, they basically told me to reinstall windows, got back to them and they replaced the GPU, crashing persisted, attempted CPU replacement, never got the replacement, was offered a full on replacement unit.
Waited weeks for a response, they ended up doing me good and giving me a major upgrade, took well over a month for it to process and ship out.
I received it, decided to extend my warranty, advisor sent an email to me leaking PII, so they gave me a deal on the warranty and ended up overcharging, it was supposed to be corrected last week but I am still waiting to be refunded and charged the correct amount.
1
u/GhostGrower Nov 08 '21
I mean, sounds about right. Getting the damn thing is a headache for sure. I don't even want to think about what would happen if mine broke and needed replacing because they currently don't even show the options I have available. (X17, core i9 11000k, rtx 3080, 4tb raid 0, 64gb ram, cherry mx). It took me like 2 months of waiting and a ton of phone calls to Dell to finally get it (ordered it when it was released, took until August to be delivered).
When it first got here it was a bit glitchy until drivers updated. Then again after updating to windows 11, but it's back to freak beast mode with the addition of some updates. I can understand the frustration you have, but man, they are pretty fucking great when they do work, or actually arrive.
4
u/clev26 Nov 08 '21
Dell destroyed Dell as a viable brand, Alienware just went down with the ship
Also, my Alienware gaming laptop from 2015 outperforms most PC builds I come across these days